Steps to detect virus in your smartphone and remove it permanently

What mobile viruses "can do"

Viruses designed to infect mobile phones (on Android or iOS) are practically indistinguishable from computer viruses.

They allow attackers to launch malicious programs to:

• Intercept information about calls and conversations
• "Read" SMS correspondence
• Activate the microphone to record conversations
• Capture the surrounding situation using the camera
• Determine the location (track geolocation)
• Scan Bluetooth or Wi-Fi devices in the vicinity
• Collect information about visited websites
• Steal important personal data and account passwords
• Block the operation of certain programs or functions of the smartphone (or even the entire device) and demand a monetary "reward"
• Transmit all illegally obtained data to servers on the Internet
• Cybersecurity, Cybersecurity

Types of mobile viruses

Among the main types of malicious software for smartphones, it is worth mentioning:

Spyware applications - collect personal information for further illegal use, monitor the user, or eavesdrop on them (some of them are practically "official" - they even have their own technical support or website)

Ransomware programs - block or encrypt important data and offer to return it to the user for a reward

Trojans - can deactivate certain programs, steal personal information, or even "block" the gadget (they "stick" to legal applications and infect the phone after installation and activation by the user)

Worms - can copy personal data, infect and "block" the phone, even "cooperate" with other viruses (they most often enter the device through SMS, MMS, or other digital media and are the most dangerous type of malware for Android, as they are programmed for infinite self-replication).

Every phone requires protection (illustrative photo: Pixabay)

Signs of Phone infection

It may not be easy to find out if your phone is infected. At the same time, there are specific "symptoms" of a virus.

Essentially, the presence of malicious software can be indicated by any non-standard behavior of the smartphone, in particular:

• Regular "crashes" of programs or applications
• Arbitrary (self-initiated) launch of applications
• Appearance of new programs (which you did not install)
• Increased usage of data (internet traffic) without visible reasons
• Automatic activation of the display on a locked device
• Excessive amount of advertising (without running programs)
• Banners requiring user action to close
• Too rapid discharge of the battery
• Rapid and unexplained consumption of money from the account
• Problems with launching certain applications (especially antivirus)
• Excessive and rapid heating of the gadget (especially when all applications are closed)
• Notification "an error occurred in the com.android.systemUI application"
• Notification of the detection of malicious software
• Too slow device performance
• Autonomous calls to short numbers (after which funds are debited from the account)
• Inability to open phone settings or system programs
• iPhone, Hand, Screen, Smartphone, Programs

Keep an eye on your apps (illustrative photo: Pixabay)

How to remove a virus from a smartphone

To clean your phone from malicious programs, experts recommend taking a series of steps:

• Remove the SIM card from the smartphone.
• Download antivirus software - via Wi-Fi from the official app store.
• Scan the device with antivirus and remove all found malware.
• Remove the antivirus and restart the device.
• Download another (different) antivirus.
• Check the phone again (using another antivirus)
• Go to the phone settings and disable administrator rights for all programs and applications.
• Review all installed programs and delete those that you are not familiar with (the system will not allow you to delete what is really necessary for normal operation)
• An alternative way to "clean" the phone is to restore it to factory settings. Then all programs, except system ones, will be deleted.

Apps to watch out for (illustrative photo: Pixabay)

After that, you need to restart the device again and, if necessary, check it using several different antivirus programs (just in case).

Earlier, we discussed how artificial intelligence is used for fraud and what can be done about it.

Also, read about how hackers broke the protection of the "Kyivstar" operator.